Oliver Wahlstrom missed a lot of opportunities last season, but the Islanders felt they deserved to give him a chance by re-signing him to a one-year deal this offseason.
So while Wahlstrom is unlikely to leave the organization unless the Islanders are taken out of training camp, his aim is to be on the 23-man roster for the start of the season, with Friday's final preseason game in no small part. It was on. The traveling pick was given a chance to make his case on the fourth line, skating for 11 minutes, 44 seconds and making two shots in a 5-2 win over the Rangers.
“I loved him,” coach Patrick Roy said. “I thought it was a good line. They had a lot of chances and they had a lot of responsibility. [the Rangers] We had faceoffs on the top line and in our zone and felt very comfortable. They trusted me. ”
Depending on the number the Islanders end up carrying, competition for the final two or three forward spots on the roster will be fierce, with Wahlstrom, Julien Gauthier, Hudson Fassing, Pierre Envall, and Matt Martin. They are also among them.
“Everything is very satisfying,” Roy said before Friday's game. “…My job is not to decide who makes the team. My job is to make sure we give them all the best opportunity to reach their potential.”
Wahlstrom has been solid in camp after his 2023-24 season was derailed by a torn ACL.
Gauthier, who was unable to break into the lineup under Patrick Roy last season, was a pleasant surprise and entered the conversation for a spot in the lineup.
Incumbent Fassing missed a few days of practice this week with a lower-body injury, which opens up a little more room for other players to play.
Engvall was originally scheduled to start the season in the middle six, replacing Kyle Palmieri (maintenance) on the second line on Friday night, but he hasn't had the best results in camp and his spot in the lineup is guaranteed. It seems that it has not been done.
Martin, who is here on PTO, is a must-have given his status as a well-loved and respected veteran in the dressing room.
Liam Foudy and Fredrik Karlstrom are also in the strong camp, but appear destined for AHL Bridgeport.
This is by far the strongest training camp pool the Islanders have had in recent seasons, and every practice and preseason game carried weight.
Monday is the roster deadline, so he still has a weekend left to impress in practice, but Friday was a big chance for Wahlstrom, who skated alongside Casey Cizikas and Kyle MacLean.
“I thought we were going to have another good night. We just have to keep hounding the puck and reloading in the O-zone,” McLean told the Post. “That's when we have our chances. Wally had some good chances tonight. I thought we did really well and he had a great game.”
If Wahlstrom fails to make the roster, he could be placed on waivers and another team could acquire him.
If not picked up, he would go to AHL Bridgeport and likely be one of the Islanders' first call-ups in case of an injury.
“I didn't have any expectations for this camp other than three or four things that I wanted to focus on in the game,” Wahlstrom said before the game. “I don't pay attention, I can't pay attention, to what the management is doing, the lines, etc. I just control what I can control. As a young player in this league, just trying to stay calm and I think the biggest thing is to remain in the country.
“And at the end of the day, just have fun and have fun. This game was made for kids anyway from the time it was first developed.”
